Stanhope James

Stanhope, JAMES, 1st Earl (1673-1721), English statesman and soldier, was born at Paris. He entered the army, and, having served brilliantly at the siege of Namur in 1695, was made a colonel. He had a distinguished career in the army, was present at the siege of Barcelona, and subdued Minorca: and gained several successful battles in the Peninsula. He afterwards entered political life, and in 1714 became Secretary of State, and Prime Minister in 1717, an office which he only held three months. He received a peerage and subsequently an earldom, and carried out some Important diplomatic missions with much skill.